- What should be included in an introductory paragraph of the research paper?
- Select an introduction from scholarly, peer-reviewed research, and appraise the introduction to assess whether it includes the necessary elements of an introduction. Why and why not?
- How does PICOT help form a clinical question? Use Box 2.2 in your textbook to discuss population, intervention, comparison intervention, and outcome and how this process helps the student arrive at a quality clinical question.
Submission Instructions:
- Your initial post should be at least 500 words, formatted and cited in current APA style with support from at least 2 academic sources
Forming a Research Paper Introduction and the Role of PICOT in Clinical Question Development
An introductory paragraph in a research paper is vital in establishing the context, significance, and objectives of the study. According to Creswell and Creswell (2018), a well-written introduction serves to capture the reader’s attention, define the research problem, state the purpose of the study, and present a brief overview of the research design or approach. Typically, the introduction begins with a general discussion of the topic, narrows to the specific problem, and ends with a clear thesis or research question. Additionally, it often includes a brief review of relevant literature to justify the need for the research and establish the gap in knowledge the study seeks to address.
To evaluate how well these elements are implemented in practice, I reviewed the introduction section of a scholarly, peer-reviewed article: “Effectiveness of a Nurse-Led Intervention to Improve Adherence to Antihypertensive Medication: A Randomized Controlled Trial” by van der Laan et al. (2021), published in BMC Health Services Research. This article begins with a broad introduction about the global burden of hypertension and the importance of adherence to antihypertensive medication. It proceeds to describe the problem—non-adherence remains a significant issue despite the availability of effective treatments. The authors then identify the gap in the literature, highlighting the need for interventions led by nurses to support medication adherence. The introduction concludes with the study’s objective: to evaluate the effectiveness of a nurse-led intervention in improving medication adherence among hypertensive patients. This introduction is effective because it incorporates all necessary components: it sets the stage, defines the problem, explains its significance, addresses the knowledge gap, and clearly states the purpose of the research. Thus, it adheres well to the standards of scholarly writing and supports the reader’s understanding of the study’s context and rationale.
The process of forming a clinical research question is significantly enhanced by using the PICOT framework, which stands for Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, and Time. According to Box 2.2 in Melnyk and Fineout-Overholt (2023), this framework ensures that clinical questions are focused, searchable, and answerable, which is essential for evidence-based practice. Each component serves a unique function in refining the research question:
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Population (P): Defines the group of patients or the problem being addressed. For instance, adult patients with hypertension.
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Intervention (I): Identifies the treatment, procedure, or exposure being considered, such as a nurse-led educational intervention.
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Comparison (C): Offers an alternative to the intervention for comparison, such as standard care or no intervention.
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Outcome (O): Describes the anticipated effect, such as improved medication adherence.
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Time (T): Specifies the duration for observing the outcomes, for example, six months.
Using the PICOT structure, a clinical question might be: In adult patients with hypertension (P), how does a nurse-led educational intervention (I) compared to standard care (C) affect medication adherence (O) over six months (T)? This structured approach helps students and clinicians focus on clinically relevant questions, streamline the literature search process, and evaluate the strength of the evidence they find. By clearly identifying each aspect of the research question, the PICOT format reduces ambiguity and enhances the quality of both questions and resultant studies.
In conclusion, a strong research paper introduction is a foundational component that includes the background, problem statement, significance, gap in knowledge, and purpose. Evaluating scholarly work confirms that these elements are standard and essential in peer-reviewed research. Furthermore, the PICOT framework is indispensable in formulating meaningful, evidence-based clinical questions that directly influence patient care and nursing practice.
References
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2023). Evidence-based practice in nursing & healthcare: A guide to best practice (5th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.
van der Laan, D. M., Elders, P. J. M., Boons, C. C. L. M., Vervloet, M., van Dijk, L., & Hugtenburg, J. G. (2021). Effectiveness of a nurse-led intervention to improve adherence to antihypertensive medication: A randomized controlled trial. BMC Health Services Research, 21(1), 356. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06329-6
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